1.   Some customers pursue a deliberate policy of delaying payment.

2.   This, Mr Bates said, would remove the financial incentive for businesses to delay payment of bills.

3.   Many companies delay payment as long as they can while maintaining an accounts section charged with chasing their own debtors for early settlement of accounts.

4.   The firm could improve its trading cash flows by reducing the credit given to customers and delaying payment for purchases.

5.   Payment is delayed in case there are any problems with the goods.

6.   American General also said that it was avoiding the flood of individual bankruptcies and delayed payments hurting profits for many consumer lenders in recent months.

7.   Another would have delayed payments of tax credits to low-income workers.

8.   At his peak, he persuaded investors to let his shakiest clients delay payments by promising even richer returns later.

9.   Also, by merely asking to delay payments, Somprasong helped drive down the price of its bonds.